As part of the programme for
identification of children either at “risk” for developing a disability
or already disabled in some manner, a survey was conducted in the resettlement
colony of Dakshinpuri in South Delhi. One of the children thus identified
by the Home Intervention workers during their survey was three year
old Aman.
When Aman was first identified
his physical condition was extremely bad. He was malnourished to the
point of emaciation. He was being looked after by his aunt who was
his father’s sister. The aunt had to come from the village to look
after her brother’s family since after coming to Delhi her brother
had become an alcoholic. His finances and his strength were frittered
away on getting enough alcohol every day. His wife, already depressed
due to their financial circumstances had given up caring for the family.
The repercussions of this situation was on the two children, Aman
and his older brother, who were neglected, malnourished and deprived
of any sort of stimulation.
When SAMADHAN first came
in contact with Aman’s family during the survey the father had died
six months before and his wife had also finally given in to her depression
and had recently died. So Aman and his brother had become the responsibility
of the aunt who was not prepared for this. However, in the aunt, who
was a widow, we found a surprising dedication to the two boys and
to her brother’s family. She had decided to stay on with the boys
and bring hem up. She had to take on some work to enable her to do
this. She was to able to manage very well. But as she herself
said, the little boy Aman defeated even her well meaning attempts
to help.
Aman had been neglected
by his parents. They had found it difficult to deal with him since
he was “not intelligent” as they put it. Being unable to teach
him anything, the mother had just given up any attempts. As a result
his initial ability to walk had gradually deteriorated to completed
immobility. The inability to cope with him was reflected in the lack
of any kind of efforts to teach him even the basic skills which were
age appropriate.
When the Home intervention
workers first saw Aman, he was sitting up in bed, wearing soiled and
dirty clothes and surrounded by dried crumbs of chappati which had
been his meal the night before. The aunt understandably did not have
time to give him more attention. His brother also looked after him
after he came home from school. Until them Aman was left to himself.
He therefore developed a tendency to keep lying down and consequently
became dependent on his brother and aunt even for small needs.
Aman was brought to the
Centre for a detailed assessment. The results showed that Aman was
mentally retarded but was borderline. It was felt that this may have
been caused by environmental and cultural deprivation and lack of
support at home.
Aman was put on the Home
Intervention Programme. A Home Intervention Worker began visiting
once a week to give Aman the basic physio therapy needed and to counsel
and guide the aunt. Fortunately, the aunt was extremely supportive
of our efforts. She began to bring Aman regularly to the Centre for
physio Therapy. Regular exercises on the equipment provided at the
Centre began to make a difference and Aman gradually started to walk
independently. He can run around and climb up and down stairs. He
has attained a good equilibrium.
Since he is also mentally
retarded a programme was planned specifically for Aman. And the Home
Intervention Worker started working with him at home. The aunt was
also taught how to modify his behaviour and given the training to
work with him at home. His new found freedom of movement made life
more interesting for Aman. He bagan to respond to stimuli. The Home
Intervention Worker was able to initiate a programme for self help
skills and for language understanding improved.
When Aman turned five he
was admitted to the Special Education Unit. He was in group of five
children with a teacher who was able to understand his handicap and
respond to his needs. The Home Intervention Worker who first
identified him also works with him sometimes. At the Centre Aman was
given Speech Therapy once a week and Physio Therapy every single day.
He has learnt the basics of the alphabets and numbers. He has become
talkative and is full of laughter and noise. He feels free enough
to come down to the Physio Therapy Clinic and climb on to the exercise
bicycle any time he feels like it.
Once Aman becomes 13 or
14 and picks up sufficient daily living and functional skills he will
be sent on to the Vocational Training Unit. The prognosis for a better
future is bright since Aman has now achieved the physical coordination
necessary for later work in the wood work unit of SAMADHAN.
Chandan was also identified
in the survey conducted by the Home Intervention workers in 1987.
He was 12 years old then. He was a moderate MR with speech deficit.
He had attended normal school but was unable to cope with the academic
aspects. The economic status of his family was not too bad as
besides his old parents he had two older brothers who were earning.
The family lived in their own home. They had a small shop in the one
of the front rooms of their house. Since Chandan was withdrawn from
school the family persuaded Chandan to sit in the shop and learn something.
Somehow this did not interest Chandan. As a result of this, when the
survey worker contacted Chandan’s family everybody in his family was
worried about his future.
However, Chandan was admitted
to the Vocational unit when he joined SAMADHAN in 1987. The assessment
showed that he could read and write simple words and phrases and could
count up to 100. He knew his functional mathematics, i.e., perform
simple mathematical operations, could do his money combinations and
tell the time etc.
While he was in the Vocational
Unit he learnt the craft of papier mache and wood work. However his
major interest was drawing and painting and he did these pretty well.
Besides, he also won several medals for the drawing and painting competitions
held in different organisations. Most of the greeting cards painted
by him have also been printed. One of the greeting cards painted by
him was selected by the British Airways for print to be used for south
Asia’s Christmas cards. He participated in other events as well such
as the Special Olympic. He had also participated in a cultural function
at a workshop organised by the National Institute for Mentally Handicapped
(NIMH) at Secunderabad, South India.
Since Chandan was quite
shy by nature he did not mix up freely with his colleagues. But during
the counselling sessions with his teachers he expressed the desire
to work and earn money. With the passage of time his family situation
had also changed. His eldest brother who was married passed
away suddenly. Since his other brother was of marriable age and the
sister-in-law was quite young and had nowhere to go, his parents got
the two of them married. This had a negative impact on Chandan. He
just could not stand his sister-in-law thinking that it was because
of her that his eldest brother died and because of her only the other
brother also would die one day. He was not on talking terms to his
sister-in-law. For a short time he stopped coming to the Centre and
tried to work and earn money. Somehow he was not successful in doing
so due to negative attitude of his employers.
With occasional visits
made by SAMADHAN team to Chandan’s family helped improve the situation.
The team counselled Chandan’s family and asked for support. With the
effort from his family and SAMADHAN staff Chandan was able to
find a job of his choice. In 1997 Chandan found a job with the
help of a young member of the community as a ball boy in the
Tennis Academy. But initial few months were very difficult for him
because after the novelty of the new environment more often he realised
that it was difficult work which he could not escape by the often
repeated excuse of “I do not want to or I do not like it”. But with
the cooperation of the employer and recognised work by the Vocational
teachers in liaison with the parents paid off and now Chandan has
been with them for over six months. On Mondays which used to be his
off days he used to come to the Centre to meet his friends, teachers
and do some painting. Since his off day has shifted from Monday to
Sunday he is not able to come to the Centre but on Sundays he does
visit his friends in their homes.
